Dubai Experience - Independent

Days

3

Price from

R4,585ZAR

Meet the many faces of Dubai strolling through its souks, then take a relaxing evening sail on the Dubai Creek

Rising out of the surrounding desert, Dubai is one of the fastest growing cities in the world; this short trip into the United Arab Emirates gives you a taste of intriguing old-meets-new Dubai. Explore the tiny historical quarter of Bastakiya – set on the banks of the snaking Dubai Creek – then visit the chaotic souqs, winding your way through the gold and spice markets. A Dhow Cruise with dinner is a wonderful way of spending an evening; sail along the Dubai creek under the moonlight.

Dubai Experience - Independent

Meet the many faces of Dubai strolling through its souks, then take a relaxing evening sail on the Dubai Creek

Rising out of the surrounding desert, Dubai is one of the fastest growing cities in the world; this short trip into the United Arab Emirates gives you a taste of intriguing old-meets-new Dubai. Explore the tiny historical quarter of Bastakiya – set on the banks of the snaking Dubai Creek – then visit the chaotic souqs, winding your way through the gold and spice markets. A Dhow Cruise with dinner is a wonderful way of spending an evening; sail along the Dubai creek under the moonlight.

Why you'll love this trip

Discover the different sides of Dubai, from its spectacular futuristic skyline to the narrow alleyways of heritage Bastakiya, and the enticing Spice and Gold souqs to the sprawling beaches

Witness the towering minarets of the imposing Jumeriah Mosque, and learn more about Islam with a visit inside the only Dubai mosque open to non-Muslims

Experience the Dubai city skyline on board a traditional Dhow Cruise

Is this trip right for you?

Our Shortbreaks are a group tour with independence, you will only have a guide with you for the sight seeing activities

On Friday the museums and souqs are closed in the morning and will reopen in the afternoon. Please note City Tours cannot be confirmed for Friday and will need to be rescheduled to Day 1 or Day 3 of your itinerary.

Gallery

Itinerary

Ahlan Wa Sahlan! Welcome to the United Arab Emirates. On arrival into Dubai Airport please clear customs and collect your luggage before meeting your private transfer. Please look out for your local Desert Adventures representative. From here, you will be transferred to the Arabian Courtyard Hotel. The hotel is centrally located in the downtown Al Fahidi historical area opposite the Dubai Museum and the Ruler’s Court. The rest of the day is free for you to discover what started out as a tiny pearl-diving village and has now grown into one of the world’s fastest growing and most extravagant cities. Bigger is certainly better in Dubai. It’s home to the world’s tallest building – the 829-metre-tall Burj Khalifa, containing the world’s highest restaurant (Level 122), outdoor observation deck (Level 148) and nightclub (Level 143) – one of the largest shopping malls (featuring one of the world’s biggest aquariums), the biggest indoor ski resort and the world’s only seven-star hotel. Here ATMs dispense gold bars and the police fleet includes a Lamborghini and Ferrari, but there are still parts where you're reminded that small and hidden can be beautiful too. Maybe head out for some retail therapy, enjoy the roof-top pool or jump on the complimentary bus service to the beach.

Explore Dubai with a half-day tour of the city. Your pick up will be between 8.30am and 9am. Please wait in the lobby of your hotel for your transfer and advise the concierge that your are waiting for a pick up from Desert Adventures. Drive through the heritage area of Bastakiya, full of courtyards, wind towers, and narrow alleyways designed to give pedestrians shade from the sun. Merchants from Iran settled this area in the 1900s, and they built houses sophisticated for the time, including towers that funnelled breezes down into the buildings in an early form of air-conditioning. Next, visit the ornate Al Fahidi Fort and its museum, built in the early 1800s to protect the settlement from rival Bedouin tribes, and later the residence of the ruling sheikh. Ferry across the Dubai Creek alongside abras (water taxis) criss-crossing the water. Follow aromatic smells as you wander through the enticing spice centred around the creek, and then enter the largest gold market in Arabia, where precious metals and jewels glitter all around. Later, make a stop at the imposing Jumeirah Mosque for excellent photos. A Dhow Cruise with dinner is a wonderful way of spending an evening while aboard a traditionally decorated wooden dhow, as it sails along the Dubai creek under the moonlight. The major Dubai landmarks shine through the moonlight sky as the wooden vessel slips silently across the creek. The past and present architecture of the area is brought to its full beauty during this time.

Notes: A more conservative dress code applies for some of the sights. Entrance may be denied if these are not followed.

On Friday the museums and Souqs are closed in the morning and will reopen in the afternoon. For this reason the city tour will not take place. The alternative activity will be an included ticket to the ‘At the Top’ experience at the Burj Khalifa.

Please note your entrance fee allows you entry between 08:30-17:00 and 19:30-23:00 – subject to change. Please speak to your booking agent to organise this. (Transfers not included)
The desert safari does include some high-speed dune racing. These activities are operated on a share basis and you will be joined by other travellers.

Accommodation

Arabian Courtyard Hotel & Spa or similar (1 night)

Included Activities

Dubai - Dinner Dhow Cruise

Dubai - Half-day city tour

Meals Included

This Dubai Experience comes to an end today. There are no activities planned for the final day and this trip finishes after breakfast. This experience includes a departure transfer back to Dubai Airport. You will be collected from the Hotel's main lobby approximately 3 hours before your scheduled departure flight. Your pick up details will be confirmed in the welcome pack you receive on Day 1. If you wish to extend you stay in Dubai, please speak to your booking agent about additional post tour accommodation.

Included activities

Meals

Transport

Accommodation

Included Activities

Dubai - Dinner Dhow Cruise

Dubai - Half-day city tour

Days

3

Price from

R4,585ZAR

Meet the many faces of Dubai strolling through its souks, then take a relaxing evening sail on the Dubai Creek

Rising out of the surrounding desert, Dubai is one of the fastest growing cities in the world; this short trip into the United Arab Emirates gives you a taste of intriguing old-meets-new Dubai. Explore the tiny historical quarter of Bastakiya – set on the banks of the snaking Dubai Creek – then visit the chaotic souqs, winding your way through the gold and spice markets. A Dhow Cruise with dinner is a wonderful way of spending an evening; sail along the Dubai creek under the moonlight.

Next trip departures

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Important notes

Important: Please note that some of the activities on your Independent Experience will be on a join in basis. This means that these activities may be shared with other guests.

Essential trip information

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.